Christmas Alive
by Sarapyon
Summary: ONESHOT: When Juvia came to home to her apartment to prepare herself to celebrate Christmas to her family's place. She didn't expect a man laying comfortably on her bed, and that man turn out to be the famous soccer player, Gray Fullbuster.


**A/N:** I'm back ^^ I'm supposed to be doing my thesis but instead I did this O.O I hope you guys will like it ^~^

**Disclaimer:** I obviously don't own Fairy tail and all credit goes to its respectful owners

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Winter. The crunching of snow under Juvia's heels served as a constant reminder of the silly holidays to come. She didn't exactly despise the holidays, per se. If anything, it was the ridiculous exaggerations that came along with holidays this time of year that she loathed.

The outrageous prices, expensive traveling expenses, and silly toys that just about everyone fell for. There was nothing genuine left in Christmas. The joy was a sham, the feelings forged, and the gifts from one to another were given without cause—if anything, they were given in hopes of receiving another.

The holidays were ridiculous, Juvia grumbled—her heels sinking into the couple inches snow. Her whole body ached from working overtime and all she really wanted to do was strip off her heels and walk barefoot.

She'd just been about to stomp when her left foot slipped off the thin sheet of ice covering the sidewalk. Merely managing to steady herself, Juvia straightened and drew in a deep inhale—reminding herself to look on the bright side this holiday. At least she had her family to enjoy Christmas with, and the cinnamon snicker doodles. No one could forget the cinnamon snicker doodles. And she has a long day-off from her job.

With last assurance that, this holiday, things would be different—she would be different— Juvia entered the small grocery shop to her left—remembering she needed something.

"Ah, Juvia-chan, my favorite customer," came a cheery voice from behind the counter. "How are you doing today?"

"Well, Yajima-san," Juvia sighed a smile at him, "that really depends if you have any cinnamon left."

"Dearie," Yajima-san's wife appeared from stock room. "Running out of cinnamon right before Christmas? Juvia-chan, that is a crisis!"

_Oh yeah, she knew that, too._

"Is that a no to my question?" Juvia feared the answer. There was no way she'd be able to make her famous cinnamon snicker doodles without cinnamon.

"Oh pish posh," Yajima-san chuckled. "Don't let her get to you, dear. It's been a good fifty years or so and she still manages to frighten our customers. Now, wait here while I get you your cinnamon from the back."

Juvia nodded.

_It was odd,_ she thought. She could've sworn she had a whole case of cinnamon last night—she'd checked. And yet, this morning when she'd began her snicker doodles there was not a single trace of that cinnamon.

"Here we are," Yajima-san appeared with a container of cinnamon. "The very last one, Juvia-chan."

"Oh, goodness," Juvia accepted the container as Yajima-san rang up the price. "Thank you. You two saved my snicker doodles."

"Ah," Yajima-san's wife smiled. "You're famous Cinnadoodles. You must save me some this Christmas. My husband here couldn't get enough of them last Christmas."

"I most definitely will," Juvia flashed the two a bright smile.

"Aw shucks," a slow blush crept to Yajima-san's face. "Juvia-chan, take the cinnamon. It's free."

"But," Juvia was caught off-guard by the offer. "Yajima-san—"

"Christmas is a time to be giving," he waved off her hesitation. "Go on, dear."

Chuckling, Juvia leaned over the counter and gave the old man a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Yajima-san. Happy holidays to you two."

Juvia was still smiling to herself as she left the shop—if only the world could see Christmas the way the Yajima couple did.

Purely giving—with no expectations of anything in return. Those who gave unconditionally were the kind who deserved the world in return.

Juvia was still smiling when she returned to her apartment. The smile, vanished when she opened up the cupboard to put the cinnamon away. There, where the cinnamon should've been this morning, sat the cinnamon now!

_How did something disappear and reappear like that?!_

Juvia decided it best to not think about it. If anything, she'd simply missed it this morning when she was searching. That was what it was, she assured herself as she set the new container of cinnamon beside the old and switched the oven on to preheat.

With a sigh, Juvia looked down at herself and set off towards her bedroom to change into sweats and a tee so she could start baking.

She stripped off her parka and shirt—leaving her in her tank—as she entered her bedroom, stopping cold at the sight awaiting her.

There was a man lying in her bedroom. For a heart stopping moment, Juvia thought she had entered the wrong house. A glance at her surroundings denied that, because there, in the far corner of her room, lay her small white Pomeranian—Pom-pom.

At the sight of his owner, Pom-pom's ears quirked up and he gave a yap—just as Juvia placed a single finger over her lips.

Pom-pom shushed then, but he slowly rose from his nicely made bed—something he'd put effort into, no doubt—and crept over to her.

Despite the situation before her with the half-naked stranger in her bed, Juvia managed a quiet laugh—making sure to not wake up the man—as Pom-pom licked her outstretched hand.

Juvia mewled, knowing Pom-pom enjoyed that more than anything. Almost immediately, the dog's ears perked up—his tail wagging.

"Not now," Juvia whispered, scratching him behind his ears, the smile on her face never wavering. At least, not until she approached the stranger on the bed.

He remained heavily asleep—his feet crossed at the ankles, his hands tucked behind his head. He had, somehow, made himself completely comfortable in her room. He was, she averaged, approximately six feet—give or take—seeing how his feet dangled off the side of her bed. Juvia took substantial notice in his biceps and forearms—his abs blurred all thought. This man was bulk—his abs carved like a Greek God.

Creeping closer, Juvia leaned over him a little to peer down into his face. His black hair, fell over his forehead—slightly covering his eyes.

Juvia blinked, realizing this man looked a lot like someone she'd seen before but, for the love of Mavis, she couldn't remember who. She couldn't think of anything with a man like that laying shirtless in her bed.

Juvia couldn't exactly complain about this man lying there on her bed. Sure, it was random, but he was really...really something. More than something, he was...

Oh dear Mavis.

Gray Fullbuster.

THE Gray Fullbuster—that's who he was!

Why was he in her bed though? Why was he in her house?

Her already hammering heart was joined with a slight quiver. Juvia didn't know if she'd cry from sheer delight or fear that this might all be a dream.

In her whole lifetime, not once did she expect something like this to happen—at least, not to her. It was a dream come true— Juvia admired this man. He appeared on her school field before, and now on her flat screen almost every day while expressing his heart out playing soccer. She was a fan—she'd feared to think of herself of anything more than a mere fan, but staring down at him now, Juvia wanted everything of this man.

That was impossible, though—why did Mavis torture her like this?

Juvia smiled, despite the clutching in her heart at her recent thought, as she noticed the bouffant bow he'd taken the time to wrap around his chest. She let her eyes carelessly trail down his chest—everything about this man was eye-candy—and yet, she couldn't help smiling remembering that he'd always refused to remove his shirt when asked on shows.

No one has ever received the chance to see Gray shirtless, and yet, here he was before her—completely shirtless and bared to her eyes.

A white note was tucked under the bow, Juvia realized belatedly. Why was there a note attached to him?

And why was he at her place? How had he gotten in?

She hesitated, not sure if she should take the note or not. Juvia didn't want to get too close to him in fear that he'd wake up—but then again, there was the fear that he wouldn't hear or feel a thing. She had the upper hand in this situation—he was vulnerable and she had been handed the chance to take advantage of him.

Juvia laughed at the thought—taking advantage of him. Right, because that was completely possible—not that she didn't want to.

It wasn't until she was reaching for the note that Juvia realized her hands were shaking. It wasn't bad enough that her heart was beating frantically, but now even her hands were shaking.

Her fingers somehow slipped under the note and she paused, reveling in the feet of his heartbeat underneath her fingers momentarily, before she eased the note out from underneath the bow.

_Happy holidays, Juvia. I'm yours—no questions asked._

_- Gray Fullbuster_

For a long while, Juvia didn't move—didn't breathe. She stared at the note, reading it over and over again in her head and if it weren't for Pom-pom having crept up against her, she would've probably continued reading that note.

_Why? How? What?_

_Gray-sama? Hers?_

"Wake him up, Pom," Juvia barely managed to whisper. She wasn't sure if she'd even whispered it on account of the fact that her heart was beating much too loudly and filling her ears with each beat. It was a good thing, Juvia told herself that her heart was beating—at least she'd had that to remind herself she wasn't dreaming.

The Pomeranian obliged with a gentle bark before jumping onto the bed. He crawled onto Gray, making sure he didn't scratch the guy, and approached his face. Pom-pom glanced at Juvia as if to question whether he should continue or not.

She nodded and the dog gave another cheerful yelp before he started licking Gray's face. Even with her Pomeranian in the idol's face, Juvia couldn't help but notice the exact moment a slow grin curved his lips as he began to awake.

Oh, Mavis, he's waking up. What was she supposed to do? All she wore was her tank and jeans!

Almost immediately, Juvia slipped her arms into her shirt—about to put it on—when a voice stopped her. His voice.

"Juvia," he chuckled, his eyes taking her in from head to toe. "Put your shirt on before you regret having taken it off in the first place."

She needed no more to convince her to slide the shirt on. "What are you up to?" This, somehow, happened to be the first couple of words she spoke to him.

A flush crept to Juvia's face when she remembered what had happened the last time she spoke with him. Well, it wasn't much of a conversation—remembering how she'd yelled at him.

Juvia blinked, somehow finding that she'd taken a good three steps to him that covered more than half the distance between them.

Gray looked up at her—the same cool smirk she remembered lingered on his lips. "Ah, Juvia, Juvia, that's what the note was for—so there'd be no awkward encounters." His smirk widened seeing that she hadn't changed.

Juvia would've scoffed if she could've at that moment. Instead, she'd let out a groan that spoke for a whine as she mumbled, "You can't just show up in Juvia's house—sleeping on her bed—and not expect things to be awkward."

Plus, she hadn't the galls to add, he wasn't even wearing his shirt. She needn't add that, because he read the thought off her eyes—her eyes that were locked on his bare skin.

"You should know," Gray reached out for her—his hands gently wrapped around her wrist as he tugged her closer. "Juvia, you're the first to see me without a shirt."

"O-other than your teammates?" the words slipped out from her mouth carrying every hope she had.

Gray chuckled, tugging her close enough so knees were pressed against the edge of the mattress and she stood in-between his legs. "Other than my teammates."

Juvia should've pulled away—she knew she should've pulled away—but he was so warm. The warmth that spread from his touch to her skin was unbelievable—her pulse agreed by picking up its pace.

"You're cold," was what he mumbled before pulling her against him. It'd taken her by surprise, and the next thing Juvia was aware of, was her hands falling onto his bare chest as they fell onto the bed—him underneath her.

Pom-pom immediately began barking as soon as Juvia managed a surprised yelp of her own. The yelp didn't last long because Gray silenced her by gently pressing his lips to her neck. It was to silence her—only to silence her—but the moment he took a whiff of her, he was a goner.

While one hand slid around her waist to hold her against him, the other hand slipped to the back of her neck to make sure she didn't move. And, all the while, the Pomeranian remained barking.

Gray's slow smile was felt across Juvia's neck and she shivered at the feel of his lips moving up and down her neck—trailing kisses here and there.

He was hers, she thought, his note had said so—no questions asked.

And yet Juvia couldn't help wondering WHY?

"Gray-sama," the words escaped her lips in a grunted whisper as she shifted atop him—accidentally brushing her knee across him.

The moment her knee came into contact with him and brushed, a low groan escaped Gray's lips. He mentally cursed, fighting to control himself before he lost it all right here, right now.

"What are you doing?" at another contact with her knee, Gray decided it best to let her off him at the moment before he jumped her completely.

"Why are you here?" demanded Juvia as she rolled off him and shot up to her feet. Pom-pom immediately rushed to her, baring his teeth at Gray.

Given, Juvia rarely demanded and she wouldn't be giving him this tone of he weren't in his house—just kissing her. Usually, the girl would've been shy, cute, anything but what she was now.

It was the nerves getting to her, she confirmed that conclusion when she realized she was biting her lower lip. Gray found it impossible to drag his eyes away from her—those lips.

She must've been nervous, Gray guessed, but that didn't stop him from pulling her back to him. This time his lips caught hers in a deft movement and, though Juvia was surprised, she couldn't help but melt at the touch of him.

Deciding Juvia had everything under control, Pom-pom left the room with his tails between his legs.

Gray's mouth closed over Juvia's with a content sigh. He was a sports idol, a star, and he'd practically traveled the world—but nothing had prepared him for this. Whether she cared or not, Juvia had seduced him, unknowingly, by simply biting her lips in pure anxiousness! Good God, the effect she had on him was improbable.

She tried, she tried her best to not give in to those lips—that mouth—but it was hopeless and before she knew it they'd both returned to the bed again.

Gray's mouth worked in a pattern against hers, pushing, tasting, prodding until Juvia gave in to temptation and looped both arm around his neck.

Dragging his mouth onto hers completely, Juvia teased him with small quick kisses until he released a chuckle. Juvia's short kisses were short-lived, seeing how Gray extinguished them with a hard, mind-numbing kiss that shook Juvia all over. Her heart was beyond racing now—pounding as if in search of relief.

A purr broke through Juvia's mouth as she felt his tongue enter in a gentle slide.

A simple purr, that was all she surrendered to Gray and yet he felt as if he'd received the best gift this holiday—a mere purr. But, oh, it wasn't all too mere, for that purr alone shot heat through his body—every part of him hardening in response.

Juvia felt the exact moment his body hardened over hers—his arousal pressing intently against her thigh—and the butterflies in her stomach released themselves to tickle every part of her until she felt the need to shift underneath Gray. It was a mistake, she knew, the moment her thigh brushed against his arousal and a guttural moan escaped his probing kisses.

Seeming encourage by her, Gray repeatedly thrust his tongue into her mouth until Juvia could do is to purr in response. An arch of her back brought his arousal into direct contact with her there and they both released a moan knowing well what they needed—what they wanted.

The rush of blood through Gray was heard as a whirr when he slipped his hand underneath her shirt and felt her soft, cold skin—barely breaking with sweat. He promised himself right then that he'd make her sweat—he'd do whatever it takes. His hands roamed her front to her breasts and he cupped her there, teasing as he palmed her until she released yet another purr in content.

Oh yeah, she knew he liked the purr's—she'd figured that out after her first purr.

In assurance that she'd stop him after this last kiss, Juvia lost herself in his warm, gentle touch. His hands slipped up to her shoulder-blade and soon he'd slipped her shirt, tank, and bra off. Juvia responded with another arch, pressing her naked chest to his bare one and an unintentional rub to his arousal.

She had him on his knees—every movement drawing a hitched breath from Gray, another kiss sending his mind whirling—but Gray didn't care. He'd already admitted to the fact that he loved her far before he decided to give himself over. He loved her a long time ago—the first time he encountered her.

She was cute, he thought at first, her cute expressions, and the cute sounds she made just talking to her friends about something. Then she'd laughed, shaking her head—her blue wavy hair flowing graciously around her—and his breath caught. His heart followed not too long after speaking to her. At first she gazed up at him like he was a Greek God sent from above, but when he'd lowered his mouth to hers, she erupted with a hard slap to his cheek.

Juvia seemed to be thinking about the same thing—their first encounter—how she'd cursed him for doing such an act publicly. It was all for show, she told herself, and she hated him for it—she despised him with every drop of blood in her body. And yet, whenever she watched him on TV playing soccer her heart raced just as crazily as that moment he'd first kissed her. It was ridiculous for her to still admire him after what he'd done, but her feelings couldn't be detained. And here she was.

Gray's hands caressed her waist down to her hips—his fingers slipping into her jeans—before he unzipped her jeans. His whole body burned as he caressed her new exposed skin—carelessly tossing the jeans aside. Juvia's underwear followed until she lay on the bed completely exposed to his touch.

Throbbing with need, Gray removed his pants and quickly returned to Juvia —his mouth claiming hers in urgent need. She kissed him back with hard, raw passion as she adjusted herself against his naked body—his arousal hard between her thighs. Juvia reveled herself in the feel of all of him, hard, warm and pulsing with desire. Against all better judgment, her hand slipped down and she rubbed her palm against him.

He grunted, thrusting himself against the palm of her hand and she closed her hand around him, stroking endlessly until a deep, raw, guttural moan broke through Gray's mouth. Juvia silenced his moans as she pressed her mouth more fervently against his—her tongue stroking his at each broken moan until he decided he'd had his share. He parted her legs, splaying them beneath him, as he lowered himself—trailing kisses down her chest to her stomach.

Juvia was writhing against him, her body yearning to get closer to his when she felt his fingers touch here there. Her breath hitched as his fingers played with her curls, kneading her there, before he slipped a finger into her. Juvia let out a soft moan as she locked her arms around his neck, bringing his mouth to her neck. Gray was already hard and throbbing, but Juvia's encouraging purrs touched him—body, heart, and soul—until he slipped in another finger and began thrusting them into her wetness.

She continued purring, her nails digging into his shoulders as she arched higher for him, pulsing against his fingers while he pumped. Juvia raised her legs, locking them around his waist as she breathed into his ear, her breaths coming out raggedly. "Now," she groaned, throbbing against him. "Now, Gray-sama, Juvia needs to—" She was cut off with a loud moan as his fingers curled inside her.

Every sound she made brought him closer and closer to the edge. He wasn't sure he wanted to do this now—after all, they'd just met in awhile but the sounds she made, the smell of her drove him crazy with need.

He gave in to her—knowing he loved her more than anything—and withdrew his fingers as he positioned himself over her. Already expecting him, Juvia raised her hips to give him an easier access and he chuckled, patting her hips. "Thanks, sweetheart. Very considerate."

Then he slipped into her, slowly, steadily, making sure he didn't cause pain in any way. When he was fully in her and her walls tightened around him, he released yet another groan.

This woman, he confirmed, would be the death of him.

He withdrew only to shove himself in again, deeper and deeper each time—her walls tight around him, her hips rocking to his rhythm until they were both approaching the edge.

"Harder," she urged him. "Harder."

"Convince me," he teased, his hands cupping her breasts as she moaned.

Juvia reached up to him, her legs still around him, and pulled his mouth back to his. She gave him a hard kiss—all heat and pent up passion—that'd already did him in, but then she broke the kiss, purred in his ear and gently bit his shoulder.

He was approaching his edge and he was approaching it quick as he withdrew again and shoved himself hard into her—shoving himself deep. They came, together, burying their moans into the other's mouths as they shared yet another kiss before collapsing into each other's arms.

"You," Juvia couldn't find it in her to be mad at him—at least, not right then while they lay in the aftermath—fully sated.

"Are wonderful?" Gray finished, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her neck.

Juvia decided not to answer that, knowing well the answer was one that would please him—and she hadn't sought out to please him, at least, not right then anyways.

"Are crazy," she said instead. "You are crazy."

_For you_, he'd wanted to add, but decided against it. He'd just made love to her, there was no need in trying to scare her away right after. She wouldn't believe him even if he confessed.

"And you," he slipped his arms around her, pulling her back to his chest—her head nested against his shoulder, "are exceptional."

Juvia looked up at him only to catch his gaze searing down on her. With a smile of her own, she reached up to sink her hands in his hair just as she purred.

Gray lowered his mouth to hers, his skin brushing hers.

"I've never," Juvia gasped when she was let up for air, "I've never made love in the afternoon before"

Truth be told, she'd never made love at all, Gray knew, but he was too taken away by her words.

"Made love" was what she'd used to describe it instead of just plain 'sex'. He was overfilled with joy at the words, but he reminded himself to not get carried away. If anything, they were mere words—and yet his joy never died down.

With a laugh, Gray pulled Juvia against him for a warm cuddle. She didn't fight it—in fact, she seemed to like his cuddles.

"How did you get in?" was what Juvia asked the moment she remembered her friend's words:

_The fantastic thing about making love is that, in the aftermath, men are too sated to argue so they give in to you, answering whatever you may ask—obeying whatever you request._

"The window," Gray answered simply, enjoying the scent of her hair strewn around him.

The window? Juvia silently cursed herself upon remembering that she'd left the window open all last night.

"When did you get in?" Juvia inquired.

"Early this morning," he answered, burying his head against her neck. "While you were showering."

She'd just been about to yell at him for sneaking into her house—while she showered—but she realized, instead, "YOU were behind the case of Juvia's missing cinnamon?!"

He merely nodded.

Juvia withdrew in inhale to keep calm as she asked her next question—her heart in her throat, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm giving you your Christmas wish," Gray pressed another gentle kiss at the sensitive spot behind her ear and Juvia instinctively curled her shoulder inward—bringing her face closer to his.

She peered into his eyes, searching for a smirk—a chuckle—anything to let her know he was purely kidding but there was nothing.

He wasn't kidding.

And then he smirked. "You remember, don't you?" Then, if she didn't already remember, he went on to recite, "Dear Santa, if it's not too much, Juvia would like a boyfriend this year. Not that he should last only a year but last—."

"OKAY!" she exclaimed, her hands clamping down hard over his mouth. "Okay. Juvia knows what she wrote." And if she didn't, it was pasted on her refrigerator door.

Juvia made a mental note to take down the ridiculous note—and possibly frame it for good luck.

"Why?" asked Juvia, her pulse thrumming in her veins while a distinct bark was heard in the background—no doubt from Pom-pom. "Why would you do that?"

_Because I love you_, he had half-a-mind to say.

He probably would've said it, but at that moment a loud beep rushed to his ears. The beep continued violently and Juvia automatically shoved herself away from him as Pom-pom's barks grew more furious.

"The smoke detector," she slid a robe on as she dashed out of the bedroom into the living room where a fire had, no doubt bloomed. Pom-pom stood before the fire, barking at it—as if to diminish it.

"Pom!" screamed Juvia as she ran over to him and picked him up. "Thank Mavis you're okay."

And while Pom may have been alright, behind her, the oven seemed to have burst in flames.

"Juvia!" Came Gray's voice. He came out of the bedroom clumsily dressed in his black jeans. "Move! Get away from the oven!"

The warning had come too slow, because at that very moment the flame caught onto the edge of Juvia's robe and worked its way up.

"Damn it, Juvia!" Gray rushed towards her like he'd never rushed before—with a maddening speed that would've stopped thunder if it must.

Upon reaching her, he threw a spare blanket, which he'd picked up before leaving the room, around her and slipped her burning robe off.

"Get moving," his voice was calm, she couldn't help noting—soothing, even.

Almost immediately, she loved him for that. All those years of pent up emotions inside of her seemed to explode. For so long she'd admired him—despite their first encounter—and that admiration didn't seem to be going anywhere. If anything, it'd grown.

With a silent nod, Juvia left the kitchen—still shaking—with Pom-pom in her arms. She stood in the living room, watching as Gray moved with ease to extinguish the fire with the hose attached to the sink.

Gray reminded himself to keep aim at the base of the fire—the pit was everything. The flames rose, sparks jumping, colliding before Gray's eyes.

It was hot where he stood—everything seemed to relish in the feel of heat but him. If anything, this fire would be the death of him, but he wouldn't die without extinguishing the fire. He wouldn't jeopardize Juvia's life—anything but her life.

The water's first encounter with the fire seemed to fuel it—the flame seeming to boom to life, if only for a moment—before it yielded to the cool liquid that washed over it, knowing well the liquid was determined to stay.

Shortly afterward, the fire died down to a mere flame—and even that flame didn't last long.

With a deep sigh of relief, Gray let the hose reel back to the sink before bracing himself against the counter.

A slow smile crept to his lips—determined to stay there. He'd done it.

Juvia's touch on his arm was but a mere brush, but the touch alone sent a jolt of static up his arms. Even the fire, the fire that'd spun out of control, hadn't that ability on him.

He looked down at her, still wrapped up in the blanket but no longer with Pom-pom. Her lips were pursed in a slight pout, her hands shaking. In that moment, right out of bed, right after the fire, he saw her as the most beautiful creature alive.

"Hey," came his low whisper—his voice still calm.

_How could someone be so calm after the fire?_ Juvia wondered.

She inched closer—her heart in her throat—her hands shaking. She was vulnerable now, more than ever. It must've been the sight of him in that flame—that deep concentration that was etched on his face as he put out the fire—that unleashed her emotions.

It was a silly time to realize anything, she told herself. He'd looked with her with pure concern—concern she'd never seen so strong before—and that concern was for her. She'd give in to her emotions then.

It was him. It would be him. Gray Fullbuster, it was always him.

Somehow, despite their recent lovemaking and the fire just now, the bow he'd wrapped around his chest remained right there—still wrapped around him.

Juvia's hands crept up to his chest and she slipped the bow off before burying herself against his warmth—her arms wrapped around him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his arms secured around her. "You're not burned anywhere?"

Not burned, per se, but she felt as if she'd been burned. For the fire time in a while, Juvia was warm. The butterflies made themselves comfortable in her stomach, fluttering to and from.

"Gray-sama," she peered up at him, his eyes still regarding her with diligent concern and that was all she needed to continue. "I love you," whispered Juvia, her breath warm against his skin.

For a long moment, Gray didn't speak—he didn't bother to even breathe. Perhaps he was hallucinating from the smoke of the fire, he told himself—this couldn't be happening.

But he'd take his chances, Gray decided. This moment wasn't about to slip by him.

His arms tightened around her—pressing her closer against him—and, from there, it was all he could do to bury his face in her hair. Her scent, slightly warmed with cinnamon, cleared the doubts from his mind.

"I thought you'd never say that," he laughed. "Juvia, you don't know how long I've dreamed of this moment right here."

She couldn't help it. Before she could stop herself, the words escaped her lips in a whisper. "Do you love Juvia, too?"

And then, realizing what she'd asked, a hot flush crept to her face and she immediately buried herself in his chest to conceal it.

"Juvia," he laughed, easing her face out from his chest so he could peer down at her. "I love you. Believe it or not, that's the reason I handed myself over to you for Christmas."

For a long while, all she could do was blink up at him. She swallowed, mentally urging herself forward. "But Juvia's note, it said—"

"Not that he should last only the year," Gray recited, "but—"

"Forever, instead," they finished in unison. Juvia stared up at him in pure adoration—all feelings let loose.

"I'm yours," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Forever."

A genuine smile worked its way to Juvia's lips.

Forever, with Gray. She couldn't ask for more.

"But," she blinked up at him, her lips in a slight pout, "What about your Christmas present?"

He smiled, his lips absentmindedly trailing down to her lips. "Sweetheart, I've already took my Christmas present from you, but if you'd like to give it to me again, I'm not going to complain."

Juvia aimed a conniving grin at him. She wasn't about to complain, either.

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**A/N:** Reviews/Favorites would be much appreciated ^~^ Also Merry Christmas ^O^


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